Advice for Memory Cards (Page 3): I had a Toshiba external backup drive fail on me. I'd rather trust the smaller Sandisk cards for photos for all the reasons already posted. Now I'm...

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

I had a Toshiba external backup drive fail on me. I'd rather trust the smaller Sandisk cards for photos for all the reasons already posted. Now I'm leery of paying good money for hardware backups.

StanRP Loc: Ontario Canada

Sir Motley wrote:

In a couple of months we will spend 2 weeks on Kauai, Hawaii. I expect to take a lot of pix in RAW. I also intend to download (hopefully) every night all that day's pix onto a portable external hard drive. I have read in the past that by following this procedure I really don't need an expensive and fast writing memory card. And do I need anything more than a 32 GB card? Comments?

I recommend that instead of storing on an external hard drive, you take enough memory cards. Re 'fast writing memory cards' - unless you are taking hi-res video or maxing out the exposures per second, most photographs do not need high speed memory cards. If your camera has two memory slots - you can transfer photo's from the fast card to cheaper slow ones.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

In Kauai, in addition to the Waimea Canyon and Waimea Valley, check out the Lutheran Church. Also, Denis at the Seductions Gallery in the Marriott in Lihue knows all the "secret" places for good photos.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

Sir Motley wrote:

In a couple of months we will spend 2 weeks on Kauai, Hawaii. I expect to take a lot of pix in RAW. I also intend to download (hopefully) every night all that day's pix onto a portable external hard drive. I have read in the past that by following this procedure I really don't need an expensive and fast writing memory card. And do I need anything more than a 32 GB card? Comments?

I have strong feelings about this. I have had two failures of sdcards (Though not in recent years). I keep several cards going, all are Lexar or Sandisk 32gb, but I never put more than about 150 images on a card before dumping it to my external hard drive and an internal drive on the laptop that I always take on a trip. (It is a very light Dell 13.3 with SSD) I used to buy Sandisk or Lexar. Sandisk invented the things and is the leader in solid state memory devices. Lexar was also playing the big leagues, but... So now I only buy Sandisk.

I use 32gb cards only because they are more available and cheap. They would hold 1300 images but I don't trust them that much--even Sandisk. When I got back from a shoot where I paid for a location rental and I paid a model, I had a card that couldn't be read even in the camera (a D90--I said it was a few years ago). That hasn't happened since, (And my one knock on my a6300 is the single card slot.)

I'm heading to Mexico in a couple weeks and will take 10 cards.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Reinaldokool wrote:

I have strong feelings about this. I have had two ... (show quote)

Did you try recovery software to read the card that failed?

Best,
Todd Ferguson

Sir Motley

Larry-

I own a Nikon D3000.

Sir Motley

James Slick Loc: Pittsburgh,PA

jerryc41 wrote:

32GB is a good size, but I would have several - like four. Is the external drive your only storage option? If that fails, you'll have no pictures at all. If you bring a small computer, you can back up to that, as well. Acer has small, inexpensive units. If you fill each card to about 75%, you may be able to leave the images on the cards till you get home. That will give you three copies of your images.

I have a tiny Acer netbook with a 250Gb HDD and a external HDD - Just for the triple back up as you state! The 10inch screen is fine for casually looking at the images. - I also take several 16Gb cards along and never delete any thing until the files are at home and backed up again. Storage is cheap today! P.S. Speed matters if the OP is at all interested in video.

bigguytf

Actually just came back from a two week trip in Kona and Kauai. Took a couple of Canon cameras, 7D, G-15, and an underwater outfit. Took 3 cards in CF - 32-16-16, and three in SD 64-32-32. But also had something happen that has not happened to me in my years with digital. My CF card reader quit working mid trip. Had to save everything on the compact flash till I got home. Might consider a quick Amazon backup reader. Hint for you. A good little snorkeling company based out of Poipou does trips with all equipment. Turtles, octopus, and plenty of fish to be seen. Also don forget the Napali Coast in the afternoon.

tresap23 Loc: Texas

Sir Motley wrote:

In a couple of months we will spend 2 weeks on Kauai, Hawaii. I expect to take a lot of pix in RAW. I also intend to download (hopefully) every night all that day's pix onto a portable external hard drive. I have read in the past that by following this procedure I really don't need an expensive and fast writing memory card. And do I need anything more than a 32 GB card? Comments?

I am looking into getting an external hard drive just for pictures, I think if you have a portable one, plus a few memory cards you should be ok. I agree with others that have commented, speed is important to me. I'd rather spend more for a high speed 8GB than a 32GB slower speed. Also, if you worry still about losing photos, you can always purchase external storage like cloud. Just an added place to store your most valued pictures. And if you have something like dropbox, create a folder for them and store them there, then you can share them with family and friends too. Good luck and have a great time in Hawaii!!

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

1. Always more than one memory card.
2. Speed, etc. has no bearing on whether or not you back up.

When I wnt to the Galapagos I copied my card data to my laptop, then changed the cards after each excursion.When I got home, I copied same to my desktop and then the backup drive. Carbonite did an auto backup. Then a card went bad. Oh well, I had 3 backups. A little paranoid perhaps, but I didn't lose a single photo (I discarded a lot though, my choice).

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

JeffDavidson wrote:

1. Always more than one memory card.
2. Speed, etc. has no bearing on whether or not you back up.

When I wnt to the Galapagos I copied my card data to my laptop, then changed the cards after each excursion.When I got home, I copied same to my desktop and then the backup drive. Carbonite did an auto backup. Then a card went bad. Oh well, I had 3 backups. A little paranoid perhaps, but I didn't lose a single photo (I discarded a lot though, my choice).

Not at all paranoid in my opinion!

tresap23 Loc: Texas

JeffDavidson wrote:

1. Always more than one memory card.
2. Speed, etc. has no bearing on whether or not you back up.

When I wnt to the Galapagos I copied my card data to my laptop, then changed the cards after each excursion.When I got home, I copied same to my desktop and then the backup drive. Carbonite did an auto backup. Then a card went bad. Oh well, I had 3 backups. A little paranoid perhaps, but I didn't lose a single photo (I discarded a lot though, my choice).

I agree, on needing more than one card, and that speed has no bearing on the backing up aspect (although, I think a faster card helps in this aspect as well) but I think it is very important to have a higher speed memory card, especially when taking RAW images and in High Resolution. If you are shooting several FPS, you need a fast card so your camera can save them quickly. That is just my personal opinion. No disrespect, just wanted to give my reason to the OP, as to why I think speed matters.

tresap23 Loc: Texas

Photonovo wrote:

I had a Toshiba external backup drive fail on me. I'd rather trust the smaller Sandisk cards for photos for all the reasons already posted. Now I'm leery of paying good money for hardware backups.

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

The money you will spend to take that trip justifies buying as many memory cards as you can afford. Don't be the person that says I coulda, if wish I had taken more cards on the trip. If you wish to check cards that are compatible with your camera, here is a link to the Sandisk support site, plug in your camera.
http://pct1.sandisk.com/NewSearch.aspx